Measuring instrument.



F E KING MEASURING INSTRUMENT (Application led Nov. 8, 1898.)

(No Nudel.)

Patented Dec. I8, |900.

F. E. KINK?.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Nov. 8. 189B.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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\ \\\\\\WWWW ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. KING, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSON STORE EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MEASURING INSTRUMENT.

S'ECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,276, dated December 18, 1900.

Application led November 8, 1898. Serial N0, 695,910. (No model.)

T a/ZZ tlf/'tom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. KING, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lawrence, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Measuring Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to measio uring devices, and more particularly to those capable of taking the place of the usual yardstick in the measurement of goods; and it has for its object to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of suoli devices to the end that certainty and accuracy of operation are insured.

In order to aid a more ready understanding of the improvement, a detailed description thereof will now be given, reference bezo ing had to the accompanying drawings, in

which- Figures l, la, and lb are together a vertical sectional elevation thereof, taken on the lines l. Figs. 2, 2a, and 2b are together a horizonz5 tal sectional elevation taken on the lines 2. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the lineS of Figs. 'la and 2a. Fig. A is a perspective view of the device, the curved ends being omitted.

The mechanism of the instrument is con- 3o tained within and supported by a long and preferably rectangular inclosing case A, of about or a little more than a yard by measurement in length, intended to be mounted along the edge of a sales-counter for use in measuring goods. Along the upper surface of the inclosing case it may bear a series of fraction-marks representing fractions of any unit of measurement-for instance, those of a yard. In connection with these fractionmarks and the yard measurement the instrument may have a Zero point or key a arranged at the left-hand end thereof, and at the righthand end the top surface of the inclosing case is provided with a slotted opening c, through which projects an operating thumb-piece d2, capable of longitudinal reciprocation along the inclosing case, its extreme limit of movement to the right measuring one yard distance from the zero-key a. About midway of the length-of the inclosing case, on its upper surface, there is formed an opening c",

through which indications on an underlying yard-indicating slide may be exposed to view. The front of the inclosing case, near its bottoni edge, is provided with ahorizontally-arranged index-plate bearing numerals from O and l to 25 within the capacity of the instrument to measure yards or some other agreed unit of measurement.

The interior of the instrument contains a 6o yard-indicating device consisting of a slide C, bearing on its upper surface numerals 0 and l to 25, arranged to be exposed. in succession through the opening c5 in the upper face of the inclosing case. This slide is of T shape, providing a pair of horizontal flanges which rest upon guide-pins 2, projecting inwardly from the inner walls of the front and rear sides of the inclosing case and serving to support the upper surface of said slide 7o against the under side of the top plate of the case and permit it to freely move longitudinally within said case, between the back and front stops 3 a, without danger of any accumulation of dirt obstructing such free inovement. The lower edge of this indicatingslide is formed with a series of teeth 5, arranged to be engaged by a detent D, pivoted at 6 to the rear wall of the case. The slide is also provided on its front side with a series 8o of short pins 7 in the nature of rack-teeth, with which an operating-patri E may engage. The operating-pawl is pivotally connected to a reciprocating operating-bar @,extending longitudinally of the instrument, immediately behind the indicating-slide C, and guided in its reciprocations by transverse pins S, passing through slots 9, located near the two ends of the bar. To the right-hand end of the bar the thumb-piece d2 is secured, projecting 9o upward through the opening c in the case. The bar is moved to the right through said thumb-piece against the pull of a suitable spring l0, connected to its right-hand end, which after the thumb-piece is released serves to return the bar to the left. The heel of the operating-pawl E projects through a long opening 11 in the indicating-slide C, so that it may lie upon the front of said slide to engage with the rack-teeth 7 thereon. The leftloc hand end of the operating-bar, Fig. l, terminates in an inclined portion l2, passing through a vertical slot in the zero-key d,which when the bar is reciproeated will be moved vertically to project a distance above the top surface of the case in the act of measuring the goods and to retire as soon as each measuring operation is completed. This Zero-key is guided by the walls of the slot in the case and by a pair o'l" transverse pins 13.

The operating-imi e carries a downward projection let, (see Fig. 1%) arranged upon the completion of each operating movement et' the pawl E to the right to engage an inclined portion l5 of the detent D and by rocking it insure it engaging with the teeth 5 at the completion of each step movement of the indicating-slide C. This bar e also carries ou its rear side a pivota-lly-mounted rock-arm l6, which on the com meneement of the movement of the bar to the right bears against another incline i7 of said detent D and forces it out of engagement with the teeth 5 of the slide C, so as to free the latter l'or a step movement. On the return movement of the operating-bar e to the left the roekarm 16 passes idly against the abrupt end of the detent-incline l5, and is thereby rocked upwardly without having moved the detent, and just as the bar reaches the limit of its return movement the rock-arm 16 strikes a fixed piu 34, which positively Areeks the arm back to its original position ready to bear against the detent-incline, as before.

The operating-pawl E is spring-pressed toward the rack-teeth 7 to insure engagement therewith when the operating-bar is moved and is provided with an inclined nosepiece 1S to meet and ride up over a pin 19, projecting inwardly from the front side of the inclosing case, so as to lift the operating-pawl from engagement. with the pinsof the slide C.

The indicating-slide C is shown at theliinit of its movement at the right, showing 257 through the top opening c5, having completed a twenty-tive yard measurement. ln the normal starting position (not shown) of this slide C its lett-hand end abuts against the back stop 3, showing 0 through the said top opening. in the measuring operation the operating-bar through its thumb-piece d2 is moved to the right, thereby drawing the nose of the operating-pawl `from the pin 19 and allowing the spring to force the pawl into engagement with the adjacent pin-tooth 7 of the slide, so that a continued movement of said operating bar and pawl will carry the slide one step to the right, so that its indication l7 will show through the top opening c5, indicating one-yard measurement. On the return movement of the operating-harto the left the operating-pawl will be raised from engagement with the pin-tooth ready to be again lowered and engaged with the succeeding pin-tooth of said slide when said bar is again operated. The operating-bar will be reciprocated each time a yard is measured, each time moving the slide a step to the right until the desired indication is seen through eelt-,eve

the top opening, showing that that number of yards have been measured by the operator.

ln order to set the instrument to indicate a predetermined quantity of goods and then stop, it is provided with a setting device G capable of movement by the operator to a position indicating, in the lirst instance, the desired number ot yards to be measured. This setting device consists of a freely-movable slide 20, having a handpiece 2l, by which it may be moved, andan index-pointer 22, arranged to overlie and eoact with the index face-plate on the front of the inclosing case. This setting-slide is arranged to hang on the pin-teeth of the indicating-slide C and is provided with a downwardly-projecting tooth 23, entering between a pairof pin-teeth, as seen in Fig. l, so that in the movement of the indicating-slide to the right said setting-slide will be carried with it. Assuming the indicating-slide C to be at its normal or extreme left-hand position and it is desired to start the measurement of, say, five yards of goods, the setting-slide will be raised to remove its tooth lfrom engagement with the pin-teeth of the indieatiilg-slide and moved longitudinally until its pointer 22 rests over 5 en the index face-plate, when it is released, so that its tooth 23 enters between a pair of said pin-teeth. The operating-bar is then reciprocated five times and until theindication 5 is seen through the top opening c5, at which time the said pointer, having been moved step by step from its set position, arrives at the rAero on said face-plate,

whereupon the setting-slide may meet some lin'iitating abutment and prevent further movement of the instrument. The limitating-stop in the present instance, while, in fact, provided by a stop 25, projecting inwardly from the front side of the ease, is preferably provided by a projection 26 on a portion of the bell or alarm sounding rod 27, which is interposed between the setting-slide and said stop 25. This rod 27 is guided at one end by passing through said stop and at the left-hand end (see Fig. l) terminates in a hook-shaped piece 2S, that is slotted to be guided by two pins 29. The hook of this piece engages a spring-pressed detent 30 on the bell-hammer lever 3l, coacting with the bell 32, so that when the setting-slide nearly reaches the limit oi its right-hand movement and bears against said project-ion of the rod 27, it moves said rod and its hooked piece so as to trip the bell-hammer lever under the tension of its spring and sound the bell.

vlhat is claimed isl'. ln a measuring instrument, the combination ol a step-by-step movable indicatingslide, a reeiprocated operating-pawl for the slide, and an automatically-movable detent mounted independent of the pawl preventing accidental movement oi'said slide,as set forth.

2. In a measuring instrument, the combination of a step-by-step movable indicatingslide,a longitudinally-reciprocated operating- IOO IIO

Gegen/6 pawl for the slide, and a iiXed pin for disengaging the pawl from the slide at the end of each step movement thereof, as set forth.

In a measuring instrument, the combination of a step-by-step movable indicatingslide,a longitudinally-reciprocated operatingpawl for the slide, a movable detent engaging the slide, and means for releasing said detent at the commencement of each opera-ting movement of the paWl, as set forth.

4. In a measuring instrument, the combination of a step-by-step movable indicatingslide, a reciprocated operating-pawl for the slide, a movable detent engaging the slide and means carried with the pawl for insuring engagement of the detent at the end of each of its operating movements as described.

5. In a measuring instrument, the combination of a step-by-step movable indicatingslide, a reciprocated operating-pawl therefor, a movable detent engaging the slide, means carried with the pawl for disengaging the detent and other means also carried with the pawl for insuring the rengagement of said detent at the end of the operating movement of the pawl, as setforth.

G. The combination of the inclosing case, a T-shaped step-by-step movable indicatingslide contained thereby, and oppositely-projecting pins carried by the case and forming supporting guide-pins for the slide, as set forth.

7. The combination, of a st'ep-by-step movable indicating-slide, means for moving said slide, and a longitudinally-adjustable setting device movable with and independent of the slide, as setforth.

S. The combination of a step-by-s ep movable indicating-slide, means for moving said slide, a longitudinally-adjustable setting device detachably connected to the slide and movable therewith, a stop for limiting the movement of said device and slide, as set forth.

9. The combination of a step-by-step movable indicating-slide having horizontally-projectin g rack-teeth and a reciprocated operatiug-pawliengaging said teeth, as set forth.

10. The combination of a step-b v-step movable indicating-slide having horizontally-projecting rack-teeth and a toothed lower edge, a reciprocated operating-pawl engaging said rack-teeth and a detent engaging the toothed edge of said slide, as set forth.

11. The combination of the step-by-step movable indicating-slide, means for operating the slide, a setting device movable with and independent 0f the slide, and an alarm mechanism operated by the setting device, as set forth.

l2. In a measuring instrument, the combination of a step-by-step movable indicating'- slide, a reciprocated operating-pawl for the slide, a movable detentengaging the slide, a rock-arm en gaging the detent to release it at the commencement of movement of the pawl and a pin to insure the resetting of the rockarm on its return movement, as described.

13. In a measuring instrument, the combination of a movable slide having laterally projecting rack-teeth, an operating-pawl engaging said teeth,and an independently-movable setting device also engaging said teeth, as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my name in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK E. KING.

Witnesses NEWMAN W. S'roRER, JOSEPH H. LovnTT. 

